


To prey on your mind

by orphan_account



Category: Beyond Eden (Visual Novel)
Genre: Character Study, Flashback, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Implied/Referenced Rape/Non-con, M/M, Murder, Obsession, Stabbing, Theodore has some problems, Underage Masturbation, Underage Sex
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-10
Updated: 2021-01-10
Packaged: 2021-03-14 00:28:04
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death, Underage
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,226
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28662465
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: Theodore Burton remembers why he obsesses over Alex Wake, and he does not think de Lafayette deserves to be the center of his attention.[Re-upload]
Relationships: Theodore Burton/Alex Wake
Kudos: 7





	To prey on your mind

_I will understand you better than anyone else._

Those were the words Theodore Burton lived by for the last twelve years. He studied hard, worked hard, gained the trust of the Edenic family, and rose through the ranks until he was promoted to butler. 

He sometimes forgot about who specifically those words had been directed towards. Did he want to understand his employer? His fellow servants? The brothers? Or was it _himself?_

He was close to forgetting entirely, until that fateful day Alex Wake returned to Ashgrove Park. It all came flooding back when he saw Alex's face again. His youthful features chiseled with age and experience, shattering the _near_ -innocent memories Theodore had of him when they were children. He gulped, burying his emotions long-fermented in his heart, and did his duty as a butler. He helped Alex and his Frenchman companion get settled in the home. 

Theodore wanted to tell himself that it was fine. That _he_ was fine. For over ten years now, he's had everything under control. But when he saw Laurence get close to Alex, _touch him_ , he could barely contain the sharp spike of fury that rose in his chest. Their interactions were innocent and the intimacy was purely brotherly, and yet it caused something dark to stir in Theodore's stomach. A ravenous, possessive feeling. One that wished Laurence gone, and his own hands on Alex's neck instead. Alex seemed to notice, slyly prompting Laurence to continue his inspection of his collar for hair and lint just to see him squirm. Theodore was flustered, but all of his frustration was directed inward. If only he could control himself better. _If only Laurence were out of the picture._

_If only Alex would trust him._

...

_Where _did_ his obsession with Alex Wake begin? _

_…_

_Of course._

_Theodore knew. He knew that Alex knew. He had to know._

_That night as he retired to bed, Theodore remembered._

…

Theodore, as a child, was a simple servant boy employed to the Edenics, to make some more income for his mother. His vision was poor, making him clumsy. Despite this, he was hardworking and clever. The family became fond of him. Having an underpaid child servant was useful for the Baron in many other ways as well… It was essentially a free playmate for his boys. 

Theodore had made fast friends with the Baron's two eldest sons, Oscar and Joshua. But it was Alex Wake, the younger brother of the Baron's companion, Elizabeth, that he became most attached to. He enjoyed Alex's maturity for his age. Despite being a child just like the rest of them, Alex always seemed cooler. More subdued and in control of himself. The way he walked with purpose, his ability to make quick decisions on the fly, never tripping up over himself… Theodore was smitten. 

It was meeting Alex, and spending time with him that made Theodore realize the sheer extent of his depravity. He wasn't a _normal_ boy. Whenever Joshua and Oscar joked about girls, Theodore could only play along and pretend he understood the appeal and found it funny. Theodore never found pleasure in the fairer sex. He was different from these boys from high society, he was lesser than them. If he wanted to prove himself as capable. He would have to repress these feelings. He had to stay in control. He had to control himself. 

...

"Ted?" Alex's voice split the still air of the guest room. Theodore was mortified, sitting up from where he lay on the large bed. Theodore had been touching himself through his pants, and he had found himself thinking about Alex during his fantasy. The room was so dark, and his vision so poor, he didn't see Alex opening the door and entering until he was right upon him. 

Theodore tore his hands away from his crotch, his eyes wide and unfocused as he scooted away from his friend in shame. "A-Alex! I-I'm… It's not what it looks like… P-Please, I'm…" 

The other boy said nothing for a while, leaving Theodore to burn in shame as he stammered to come up with an answer. What was Alex thinking? Did he think he was disgusting? Would he not want to be his friend anymore? Would he tell the Baron? What would the Baron do to him? What would his mother do to him? What would-

"It's okay. I know what you're doing." Alex said, interrupting Theodore's obsessive train of thought. Theodore wished he could make out his expression. But his face was blurry and cast in shadow from the moonlight behind him. Theodore sobbed pitifully, trembling like a dog. 

"But I… B-But I…" Theodore whined. He tried to choke back his cries as Alex climbed up onto the bed with him. Alex shushed him with one touch to his shoulder.

"I know. Beth told me that all boys' bodies change. We feel weird down here sometimes, right?" Alex said. Theodore was unable to understand his motivations. Why wasn't he calling him gross? Why wasn't Alex shunning him? 

Theodore couldn't reply, he just stared up at the unfocused silhouette looming over him, his mouth hanging open, and his throat tied in knots. He cursed his inability to see properly. 

But then, Alex touched him. He felt the boy's hand on his erection, and he yelped. Quickly covering his mouth with both hands, Theodore's tears flowed freely down his warm cheeks. 

"Does this feel good?" Alex asked him, and Theodore could do little more than nod. Alex did not seem disturbed at all. In fact, he seemed curious. His calm and calculated inner nature extended even here. Theodore nodded again, gritting his teeth and curling his toes as Alex moved his hand. Alex experimented, squeezing and stroking Theodore as if he was studying him. Theodore thought he might die, but he finally decided he didn't want him to stop. 

Alex pulled his hand away for a moment, causing Theodore to look up at him again. He didn't realize he had squeezed his eyes shut until now.

"W-what are you…?" Theodore stuttered, feeling Alex's thin fingers fumble with the buttons on his pants. He could do nothing but shiver as Alex exposed his boyhood to the cold bedroom air. He turned away, too embarrassed and afraid to watch whatever Alex planned to do. 

"It's okay. I've done this before." Alex assured, but his tone seemed flat and sterile. The lack of emotion in his voice as he admitted such a shocking thing concerned Theodore more than anything. 

"W-With who?" Theodore managed to ask, covering his mouth before more embarrassing squeaks could slip out. 

"My…" Alex started, but he trailed off. Theodore glanced back at him and noticed him shaking his head. "None of your business. Just be quiet."

Theodore clamped his lips shut, choking back his moans as he felt something hot and wet envelop his member. Alex had put his mouth on him. 

He heard Alex stifle his groans, gulping awkwardly as he tried to get comfortable in his position. Theodore could only imagine what he was thinking. He tried, tried desperately to understand his motivations for doing this. But he could not. As Alex licked him, sucked him off, and fondled him, Theodore's mind was stuck in a loop of trying and trying and failing to understand. The waves of pleasure wracked his inexperienced body. He wanted to beg Alex to stop, but he couldn't. If he took his hands off his face, he'd surely scream and alert the whole house. 

Theodore lost control of his body. His vision white, and his heart and conscience momentarily crystal clear, he reached down and grabbed a fistful of Alex's hair. He orgasmed straight down his throat, causing Alex to gag. But like everything, Alex took it like an adult. He didn't cry or panic. He truly must have done this before.

As soon as it was over, Theodore regained his senses. He gasped, removing his hand from Alex and shuddering. He stared at the unfocused image of the boy, coughing and struggling to swallow the fluids Theodore has spilled in his mouth. 

'What have I done?'

'Why did I do that?' 

Theodore feared himself. 

"I'm sorry… I'm so sorry…" Theodore said. He didn't know what to do, so he kept muttering apology after apology. It was only when Alex grabbed his pants and buttoned them up for him again did he stop.

"Stop crying already. It's not that big a deal. Do you feel better now?" Alex said in a hushed, yet commanding voice. It struck something similar to fear in Theodore's heart. It made him stop crying immediately. 

"Why did you do that?" Theodore croaked, wiping his tears away and crossing one leg over the other shyly. He wanted to curl up and die in a hole somewhere. 

"Just cause." Alex said, unhelpfully. He paused, seeming to notice that Theodore was expecting more elaboration. Thankfully, he humored him, and added, "I just wanted to see how you'd react."

Despite being given an answer, Theodore was still confused. Alex wiped his mouth with his sleeve and got off the guest bed. His silhouette was growing fainter into the darkness of the room. Theodore wished he could see him. 

"But I… But I hurt you…" Theodore whined. 

"That was nothing, Ted... Stop worrying about it already. You need to go to sleep, or you'll get in trouble for sleeping in too late, right? Good night." Alex's voice sounded farther away, and Theodore could no longer distinguish him from the shadow of the far end of the room. He must have been stepping into the hall already. 

Why was Alex so kind to him? 

Why did Theodore want to do it again?

His face burned and his heart pounded in his chest as he struggled and failed to understand his feelings. Alex was right. He needed to sleep. Their encounter that night had admittedly exhausted him greatly, and he fell asleep quickly. 

…

Theodore awoke in his quarters in the middle of the night. He was an adult, a butler, and had a burning determination in his heart. 

It did not take Theodore long to get dressed in his usual attire. Nobody was awake at this hour, not even late-working servants. Now Theodore's body moved without him thinking. Fury carried him through the Edenic household and into the guest bedroom that housed Laurence. His mind raced with impulsive, intrusive thoughts fueled by jealousy. He knew what he had to do.

His mind fuzzy, Theodore extracted a knife from his pocket. He unsheathed it silently, staring at the sleeping man's peaceful expression. A dark look enveloped Theodore's normally stoic expression- he found himself smiling. He salivated at what he was about to do, swallowing in anticipation. 

_Alex does not belong to you._

Theodore pushed his spectacles up the bridge of his nose, wanting to get a good look at his work once it was finished. The movement of his arm carrying his blade was almost too slow, agonizingly slow. _Alex does not belong to you._ The closer he brought the point of the knife to Laurence's delicate throat, the closer to orgasm Theodore felt. At this distance, Theodore almost felt like he was in love with him. His hair fell over his features beautifully, impossibly so for a sleeping man. His pale skin practically glowed in the moonlight. 

_Alex does not belong to you._

Just millimeters away from Laurence's neck, Theodore tried to savor the moment. He would end the life of the one who dared get between him and Alex. 

_Alex does not belong to you._

Theodore's breath hitched, and his heart skipped a beat. He plunged the knife into the neck of his adversary. Immediately, Laurence awoke from his slumber, choking in agony and slowly beginning to drown in his own fluids. 

_Alex does not belong to you._ _Alex does not belong to you._ _Alex does not belong to you._

Theodore pushed down on the knife, watching the life rapidly drain from Laurence's wide eyes, satisfied by his inability to fight back. Warm blood gushed from his wound, coating the blade and splashing up onto Theodore's sleeve and his gloves. One droplet of blood had made its way up to his glasses, staining the left side of his peripheral vision with a red splotch. 

_Alex does not belong to you._ _Alex does not belong to you._ _Alex does not belong to you._ _Alex does not belong to you._ _Alex does not belong to you._

When the light of Laurence's eyes finally died, only then did Theodore realize what he had done. He removed the knife from the body, stepping back. He trembled, staring at the blade, and at his bloodied hands, realizing that it was _he_ who killed him. In that moment of clarity, Theodore felt nauseous. No, no, no, this couldn't be. He couldn't have just done that. Why had he done that? 

Theodore heard a startling sound- a loud clank against the floor. He gasped, realizing he had dropped his knife. The blood that still clung to it stained the carpet. Everywhere, everywhere there was blood. It soaked into the blankets, into the mattress. Theodore's tunneling vision went red with terror or madness. His breathing was quickening until he must have been hyperventilating… No. 

No… 

Alex.

Alex would…

What would Alex…

Please, no…

Alex… Alex! Please! Alex!

_Alex!_

**Author's Note:**

> Hello, friends. I deleted this work some time ago because I no longer wish to associate with it. I found it in my files and decided it deserved to be on the internet anyway. Part of me is still proud of it despite the darker subject matter... The Beyond Eden fandom is already pretty small as it is, so I hope you enjoy my little study of Ted. He's a great character, and I love him dearly.
> 
> This was written about a year or so before Dear Edward was released, so no content from that game is present or relevant here. This is just a fun what-if scenario I came up with while thinking about why Theodore would have fallen so deeply in love with Alex outside of what is shown in the game. 
> 
> Have a great day!


End file.
